All along, even since the helicopters followed the SUV with Peyton Manning inside to the Broncos’ Dove Valley complex, Manning has consistently said he would fit into the offense.

That the Denver offense would not have to be shaped around what he did in his 14 years in Indianapolis, that he was not looking for a duplicate playbook, but rather the best fit for the next step in his career.

And nowhere, perhaps, can that be seen more than in Chris Gronkowski’s presence on the Broncos’ roster. Gronkowski is a fullback, you see, and in Manning’s time with the Colts a fullback was not on the radar.

During Manning’s tenure the Colts, they would use two tight ends or three wide receivers much of the time. When they ran the ball, even as Edgerrin James led the league in rushing twice in Manning’s time with the Colts, they did it out of a one-back set.

“But I think all along we’ve worked in our scheme,” said Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. “Obviously we’ve looked at things (Manning) is comfortable doing, things he likes and there are things we like to do too. This has been about making it the best fit for the Denver Broncos with a player as accomplished as Peyton giving you a lot of options.”

One of those things the Broncos like to do is line it up and pound the ball at a defense a two-back set. And when opposing defensive coordinators pour over the game video of the Broncos offense in the upcoming, it may be the biggest difference in the offense they see Manning run with Denver and the offense he ran with the Colts.

“(Manning) has the arm to throw it every down,” Gronkowski said. “But if you set up that run game, it’s only going to help the passing game. I think you noticed in out first preseason game, we were almost 50-50 and it really helped the passing game as well.”

In Manning’s 12 snaps against the Bears last Thursday night, including one offensive penalty, the team lined up in heavier formations — either two tight ends or two backs — six times and they lined up with three wide receivers six times.

Of those six heavy formations with Manning in the game, just one was a two-back set — a 3-yard run by Willis McGahee — but when the regular season rolls around, more are on the way. The Broncos used a two-back set four times with the second-teamers during their nine-play possession in the second quarter.

“I feel comfortable in the system,” Gronkowski said. “It’s something I’ve run in the past.”

The Broncos made their intentions clear in May, after former Broncos fullback Spencer Larsen signed a free-agent deal in New England, when they traded cornerback Cassius Vaughn to the Colts in exchange for Gronkowski. Gronkowski played seven games for the Colts in 2011 before ending his season on injured reserve with a torn chest muscle.

The Broncos had also seen Gronkowski’s work as the Dallas Cowboys’ fullback in 2010.

Gronkowski, whose brothers Rob and Dan also play in the league, left the Chicago game with a groin strain but has returned to practice this week and is expected to play Saturday night against the Seahawks.

“You just want to contribute any way you can,” Gronkowski said. “I know what my job is. … This is a great situation. There are high expectations for this team.”

CenturyLink, the telecommunications company that ended its sponsorship agreement with Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall because of his protests during the national anthem last year, said it will not terminate its agreement with current client Emmanuel Sanders.